LG UltraFine 5K Display Works at Lower Resolution With Older Macs Using Adapter

[Tech198]

Wouldn't using a MBA not even output at that res. ?

 

[cult hero]

If you're using an older machine, is there a reason to get this monitor? I guess since it's a "cheap" 5K. Maybe there will be some kind of device in the future can take two Thunderbolt connections and do MST into the single Thunderbolt 3 connector. Probably pointless.

Seeing as I have a TB3 MBP, it doesn't much matter to me I guess.

 

[Applebot1]

Yep we hear you Timmy..needs an adapter. Sums up what's wrong with Apple nicely.

 

[macduke]

Seems pretty clear you'll never be happy with Apple going forward. Why not just make the switch now, finally find happiness, and move on with your life?

Sure beats expectinting Apple to accede to your needs and demands, knowing that five years from now you'll still be here, waiting for Apple to come to their senses and do what you want, and in the end never being satisfied.

We won't find happiness elsewhere is the problem. What Apple has done for years is what makes us happy. Now they're dumbing down everything and lowering the bar for quality and expectation. We need to stay strong and vocal about these issues. Macs are what keeps the creative industry going and is what all iOS developers use. It would be stupid to just let it die off or become something horrible at the sake of not complaining or finding the path of least resistance. As Tim Cook said the other day regarding his visit with Donald Trump:

There’s a large number of those issues, and the way that you advance them is to engage. Personally, I’ve never found being on the sideline a successful place to be. The way that you influence these issues is to be in the arena. So whether it’s in this country, or the European Union, or in China or South America, we engage. And we engage when we agree and we engage when we disagree. I think it’s very important to do that because you don’t change things by just yelling. You change things by showing everyone why your way is the best. In many ways, it’s a debate of ideas.

We very much stand up for what we believe in. We think that’s a key part of what Apple is about. And we’ll continue to do so.

So we're not going to sit on the sidelines and let Apple slide into the obscurity of tech history. We firmly believe that the success of the Mac is paramount to the success of Apple as a whole. Without Apple anchoring security and privacy in this industry, we'd be in a world of hurt. Unfortunately Apple is day by day making it ever difficult for us to help them out. They ignore our feedback, they put out super shady updates like removing the battery indicator that makes everyone question their motives. It's tough to defend them anymore but the problem is the competition isn't any better and often worse. But Apple will continue to join them in their muck and mire if they don't do something to stop.

 

[alfonsog]

I'm running an LG 31MU97 @ 4096 x 2160 on my Mac Pro. I might pick up one of these 5K's for a second monitor (I had a Apple 24" LED Cinema Display which died recently) and I'll transition it to my primary monitor if they release a new Mac Pro with the new connectors... or I might go for for an updated iMac instead although I like the separates better. I can afford whatever but I don't like or use portable computers other than my iPhone, although I do own a 12.9" iPad Pro which I mostly use as a sheet music display or rarely a portable computer when I travel. I had the 2006 Mac Pro which lasted right until the new one came out. I like the touchbar idea and I hope it comes to external keyboard. I assume that if and when the iMac, Mac Pro, and Mac Mini's are all updated they will start selling usb-c wired mice and keyboards, that is if they even bother with wired ones. I use the wired keyboard because I really utilize the number pad.

 

[fpsBeaTt]

60Hz...

You haven't experienced OS X until you see it in the original 144Hz.

 

[trifid]

We won't find happiness elsewhere is the problem. What Apple has done for years is what makes us happy. Now they're dumbing down everything and lowering the bar for quality and expectation. We need to stay strong and vocal about these issues. Macs are what keeps the creative industry going and is what all iOS developers use. It would be stupid to just let it die off or become something horrible at the sake of not complaining or finding the path of least resistance. As Tim Cook said the other day regarding his visit with Donald Trump:



So we're not going to sit on the sidelines and let Apple slide into the obscurity of tech history. We firmly believe that the success of the Mac is paramount to the success of Apple as a whole. Without Apple anchoring security and privacy in this industry, we'd be in a world of hurt. Unfortunately Apple is day by day making it ever difficult for us to help them out. They ignore our feedback, they put out super shady updates like removing the battery indicator that makes everyone question their motives. It's tough to defend them anymore but the problem is the competition isn't any better and often worse. But Apple will continue to join them in their muck and mire if they don't do something to stop.

Preach brother.

 

[Jago]

What the hell? Mac Mini is capable of 4K-resolution? Since when?

 

[trifid]

What the hell? Mac Mini is capable of 4K-resolution? Since when?

Yes but at 30hz which is unusable.

 

[Analog Kid]

What does that have to do with the Mac Pro? It uses dedicated graphics cards.

These displays connect via Thunderbolt 3, which is handled by Intel, not the graphics card. That is why it doesn't support this display at full resolution.

 

[MH01]

"For the Mac mini and the Mac Pro, Apple recommends using the LG UltraFine 5K display as a second monitor as it might not turn on until the machines are booted into macOS"

wow.....just wow....

Just get a monitor with DisplayPort

 

[Lamby2244]

ON SALE NOW in the UK!

There has been some confusion as to whether the LG UltraFine 5K Display works with older Macs, but a new support document published today answers that question and makes it clear exactly which Macs can be used with the display and at what resolution.

At its full 5120 x 2880 resolution, the LG 5K display can only be used with Apple's latest 2016 MacBooks, which have Thunderbolt 3 support. That includes the 15-inch MacBook Pro, the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, and the 13-inch MacBook Pro with no Touch Bar.

Using an Apple Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter and a Thunderbolt cable, the LG 5K Display can be used at 4K resolution with older iMac, MacBook Pro, Mac Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini models. A full list is below:

3840 x 2160 at 60Hz
- Mac Pro (Late 2013)
- MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014) and later
- MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2014) and later
- iMac (Retina, 27-inch, Late 2014) and later
- iMac (Retina, 21.5-inch, Late 2015)
- iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2015)
- MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2015)
- MacBook Air (11-inch, Early 2015)

3200 x 1800 at 60Hz
- Mac mini (Late 2014)

For the Mac mini and the Mac Pro, Apple recommends using the LG UltraFine 5K display as a second monitor as it might not turn on until the machines are booted into macOS. Features like Boot Picker and macOS Recovery may not work on the display when used with those machines.

Power delivery features are only available for Macs equipped with Thunderbolt 3, which means only the three newest MacBook Pro models will be able to charge through the display. Power is not delivered when connecting the display to a Mac using the Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter, so on older Macs, a separate power supply will need to be used.

Apple started selling the LG 5K UltraFine Display this morning. While the first orders placed offered shipping estimates of three to five days, supplies were quickly exhausted. Orders placed now will ship out in two to four weeks.

Article Link: LG UltraFine 5K Display Works at Lower Resolution With Older Macs Using Adapter

 

[Ploki]

Ehhh, I was stoked reading this at first glance that it would mean decent support for an older mac mini or mac pro, but even support for the latest mac pro and mac mini models seems dicey at best.

On another note, totally would have bought one if they had a regular thunderbolt 2 or displayport input. Not sure why Apple insists on even their production partners to limit the ability of their products from working with as many different computers as possible.

Apple just doesn't like their products, or products made for their stuff, to be flexible. That's the sad fact.

...
I really dislike when people just assume things.
http://www.digitaltrends.com/buying-guides/hdmi-vs-dvi-vs-displayport-vs-vga/
"DisplayPort version 1.2 offers a maximum resolution of 3,840×2,160"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderbolt_(interface)#Thunderbolt_2
"Thunderbolt 2 incorporates DisplayPort 1.2 support"
[doublepost=1482306319][/doublepost]

What does that have to do with the Mac Pro? It uses dedicated graphics cards. Let's say you're right and they simply don't have updated processors. Fine. Why let the graphics stagnate? We are talking about graphics that are going on 4 years old with no change.

Because displayport 1.2 which TB2 works with doesn't support more than 4k resolution.

if you want more, whine to apple why they don't implement a dual-connection design (2x TB2 (dp1.2)->TB3 (dp2.0). I don't know whether or not display port ports can be combined like DVI could be.

 

[Jamie0003]

What about the 12 inch MacBook? Will it work at all? Seems pretty bad if not as it's currently the only other USB-c mac Apple sells

 

[Wayfarer]

I was going to say "Get an iMac if you want an Apple 5K display", but I see from you signature you already have a 5K iMac.

The 5k iMac is nice, but I always preferred the MacBook Pro + Apple Thunderbolt Display combo. I loved the design and it looked beautifully stunning on my desk. I have been waiting years for Apple to update its outdated 2011 display, hoping they would give it a signature Apple redesign. It never came. The LG Display is a lazy slap in the face, in my opinion. Apple + LG could have collaborated better on the design.

 

[DempaX]

There is no difference between the rMBP 15" Late 2013 and the Mid 2014 other than the price and CPU is a little faster. Why can't it also run the LG 5K monitor

Last time I tested my rMBP late 2013 it did 4K 60hz using displayport connection to 4K screen yes.

 

[ice29]

Hm, has someone seen this 4K on 5K display with older MacBooks? Normally this scaled-down resolution always looked horrible, but with higher resolutions it might be really nicer.
I am currently looking for a new display - I have a 2015 MBP (which goes to my GF) and 2016 MBP on pre-order - so if the quality was nice with 4K I could use it for both...

 

[Ploki]

Hm, has someone seen this 4K on 5K display with older MacBooks? Normally this scaled-down resolution always looked horrible, but with higher resolutions it might be really nicer.
I am currently looking for a new display - I have a 2015 MBP (which goes to my GF) and 2016 MBP on pre-order - so if the quality was nice with 4K I could use it for both...

scaled down resolutions work fine on 15" retina macbooks.. if they use the same method it should look ok.

 

[Brookzy]

scaled down resolutions work fine on 15" retina macbooks.. if they use the same method it should look ok.

It's not the same method. Scaling on a built in display just changes the relative size of the interface. The same number of pixels are still being rendered. Running a 5K monitor at 4K is stretching the image, i.e. fewer pixels, so far worse quality.

 

[Jago]

Yes but at 30hz which is unusable.

The article claims the Mini can do 3200 x 1800 at 60Hz.

 

[MH01]

There isn't a Xeon out there that provides for this over one cable yet (thanks for the clarification, @Brookzy). The Skylake Xeons over 4 cores are due out next year. It's not Apple, it's Intel.

Intel is in a sweet position here-- by being the man behind the man, they've been let completely off the hook...

Can I ask what Xeon has to do with this? it's the GPU, and you can get up to 7680x4320 with one cable depending on the GPU you put into your sever.

 

[Chancha]

The article claims the Mini can do 3200 x 1800 at 60Hz.

4K at 3840x2160 is 8.2 million pixels on screen
That odd wider 3200X1800 resolution is 5.7 million, double the refresh rate and it is then close to the 4k spec
The limit seems to be more to do with the vertical refresh rate as it is the most demanding part of a display.

This is similar to older graphics card outputting resolution slightly higher than full HD with the older HDMI standard. Pre-retina Macs could do something like 2048x1080 over mDP to HDMI.

 

[MH01]

If it wasn't trolling, it was ignorant.

Complaining that your 2012 Mac Pro won't work with a Thunderbolt 3 monitor is like complaining that your Tesla won't take gas.
Tim Cook is irrelevant here.
Apple isn't in poor shape by any metric.
LG monitors are simply not overpriced. This is the cheapest 5K display on the market.

To be fair, nothing to do with the year of the Mac Pro, as the 2012 can take whatever gpu you put in it, heck you can throw in a titan x pascal which does not blink at 5K , though the issue here is that apple discontinued their TB display which was great and offered this LG unit as the official recommended solution. That being said , the monitor is limited to a TB 3 input..... which is not backwards compatible with its own products , and yes, they could have made it backwards compatible with the 2013 Mac Pro at 5K .

This monitor frankly has awful connections to be honest, a one trick pony. Great for new MacBook Pro users, though they could have communicated the lack of 5K support with the rest of their products better .

 

[ice29]

It's not the same method. Scaling on a built in display just changes the relative size of the interface. The same number of pixels are still being rendered. Running a 5K monitor at 4K is stretching the image, i.e. fewer pixels, so far worse quality.

Yes, that is exactly the point... Unfortunately I don't think it would be possible to try it out personally here in Switzerland.

 

[GadgetBen]

I'm just putting it out there.

Wouldn't it be cheaper to buy an iMac?